By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Lily shoots Skiz a dark look at which the little man cowers before ducking under the counter. "My merchandise... my pretties!" He shrills before being dashed aside by the brute heading for Igancy into a large glass case holding a number of old curios.

I snarl, my knife in my hand, and leap into the fray, dancing and slashing at another man who has just stepped into the room. Blood arcs into the air with his upflung arm, and he curses wildly as he attempts to land a blow. German, that was it. I grin, and slice open his other forearm.

I snarl low in my throat, these men are fools they should have waited outside to ambush us, the one rushing me lets a surprised grunt out as I sidestep his clumsy rush, twisting hook his back foot with mine and sweep it up and back causing him to go headlong into another case, turning I look to Ignacy and the others six men other then us, oh this should be fun I bring my foot up and sharply back down to the reward of a sharp snap where my foot meets neck

i unsheathe my sword and unholster my pistol and say "sprechen zie dick?" as i charge at the men.

Lily steps back, eyes narrowed and flitting back between the men and Friz. Scowling, she ducks around the corner of the room to the rat faced man's side and props him up, probing his temple with a finger. Friz's eyes snap open and he stares around wildly as Lily whispers in his small ear; fur darkens his flesh as his eyes turn yellow in the dim light and a whip-like tail twines around his forearm.

"Mine? For really and truly, Lily dear?"

She nods at his whispered claim, and he smiles, crooked teeth lengthening disturbingly.

the first man comes sprinting at me with brass knuckles i shoot him in the kneecaps and impale him on my now burning sword.

I spin, scything my knife out in an arc that opens a belly. A hand the size of a shovel clamps down on my face, cutting off air--until my teeth grow and I bite down. Amid the howl of rage, I spit out the finger in my mouth and lunge forward once more.

one of them creep up on me and manages to grab my throat from behind i struggle to free myself from his iron grip but even my superhuman muscle cant break the grip.

As the smell of burning flesh fills the small shop, Friz lunges between the legs of the brute that clutches Ignacy and, now more rat then man, climes to his shoulders and sinks his sharp teeth into his neck. Even as he bites, his tail wraps the grip of the man's handgun flipping it out and up into the air. "Friz wan's your pretties, your monies, your bloods..." he squeals.

With a gasp, I step back. Blood sprays.

liv is, disturbing when she fights i notice, little of the beauty from the water dance is present, i attribute that to the lack of water, Ignacy has his sword out i am surprised it isn't already aflame, oh he was being choked that is why, fritz, wererat, got it, wonder if liv is going to bite him. no time to worry, new target. He comes forward more cautiously then my last opponent, his hands up, boxer then okay I raise my hands slowly, the man lashes out with a sharp right hook that connect leaving my head spinning, damn. getting my baring the man attacks me again a sharp jab i catch on my forearm with bone jarring force. damn this is going to take longer then i thought

i reignite my sword and decapitate a man who comes running at me while firing an mp 40 it seems the german army is lacking in discipline lately.

With a screaming cry, I leap forward, slicing my knife along the spine of Liam's enemy. As his back arches, Liam lands a hard blow, and the great man topples sensless. For a moment, Liam looks at me with a strange light in his eyes, almost afraid...then he grins and salutes me before leaping back into the fray. I grin, lick blood from my sharp teeth, and follow suit.

Sriz, still chewing on the man's severed spine, lets his eyes wander, his paws searching the pockets and pouches of the tattered uniform. Coins and an Iron Cross clatter to the floor. A squeal of joy fills the room as he comes up with a knife with a ruby pommel. Brandishing the silvered blade, he darts toward a corner only to have one of the men grab his bare tail. Shrieking, he lashes out blindly with his treasure.

My grin to Liv for her assist is an honest thankyou, she has a good sense for this sort of thing next man to come in through the door, damn, there are more, well at least they are in a bottle neck Fritz is odd, no sense of finish before looting. Ignacy okay yeah giving him that sword i mentally shudder too fitting. My knives finally come out a pair of them spinning in my fingertips, A flick and blood blossoms in the throat of the man holding Fritz second one is switched to my main hand before I raise it in a reverse grip for the next man to come foreward

Skiz strips the coat from the downed enemy and swirling it like a cape, rushes low and fast at the same target as Liam, pinning his foot to the floor with the sharpened blade. Hissing, he bares his fangs and lashes his tail.

I snarl, standing in the doorway. "Who wants to taste steel next?" I hiss, brandishing my blade. One of the five waiting in the alley turns and runs, but the rest rush forward.

i pick up the submachine gun from the headless corpse and empties the clip into an enemy trying to rush me.

the rapport of the smg going off seems to have given Skiz the cue to rush forward. The man in front of us focuses on him allowing me to rush by a quick stab cutting across his windpipe allowing his blood to enter his lungs, Liv standing in the door though is too good of a target I can see some of the men charging her and move up to her side still out of the sight of the door. this should be fun.

For a moment, I squeeze Liam's hand. Then I run forward. The smell of blood fills the air, the taste of blood on my teeth. Blades flash and slide and whistle. One, then another...slash, cut, kick. Enemies will fall. I let loose a battle shriek and strike out once more as the enemy flinches from the sound. My blade comes away on an arc of ruby red.

as the men see Liv pattern they take less and less damage with each attack they begin circling around to flank her, bad odds even for someone like her. some memories surface as I move to help not realizing i have started to sing "Excitement abounds, i almost can't wait, relax i don't want your baby i already ate." My knife enters ones neck and wedges in the bone there, I twist planting my back against Liv's, it's safer as the last opponent learned, "though i do tend to generally kill, Kill things that can't fight back" she twists to attack me causing me to duck without missing a beat her knife opens the next man from groin to throat. Kaija fights similarly, no wonder they get along. I lash out with my boot into the next ones stomach causing him to double over. well at least he is winded.

I snarl. Enemies. They will...but no, friend, smell of a friend. I shake my head, then turn and lash out at one more hulking mass. Finally, the air is clear. Slowly, my chest heaving, I turn, shaking my head to clear it.

Skiz chitters excitedly crouching on the chest of one of the fallen, rifling his pockets, tail twining around an already considerable pile of glittering trinkets. "Skiz do good, Skiz takes treasures," he mutters, glancing furtively around as he pries out the man's glass eye.

With another deep breath, I come back into my own. "What....what in the name of bright and dark gods was that all about?" I ask, kneeling to finger the suit of one dead man. "Soldiers? Why were soldiers after us?"

"hmm we gave a scoop to juilain advent, stole from gaudy boy, restored me to life, got in and out of the armory alive, befriended a dragon, have Ignacy with us in general" I list off the things i can think of easilly "just to name a few"